Also, I hadn’t seen Holden since he’d been dragged away from the bank. Of course, I’d taken to sneaking out the back exit of my apartment building, and instead of walking the five blocks to work, took a new route, cutting through one smelly alley and extending my trek by two blocks, which was how I discovered the Mocha Maven.
I found a seat by the window, pulled out my cell, and dove in to my never-ending list of emails.
Sure, I was off the clock, but I liked knowing what to expect before I made it to the office.
My third email was from Janet, who wanted to see me the moment I arrived. “Aww fuck. This can’t be good,” I mumbled to myself. If Holden’s shenanigans had gotten me fired, he was a dead man. I’d worked too damn hard for my spot on the corporate accounts team.
A deep chuckle came over my shoulder and I knew, like I’d heard that glorious sound a million times before, Cole was standing at my rear. Tingles on my skin. Flutters in my belly. Erratic thunk, thunk, ker-thunk behind my breastbone. My body had never reacted that way to anyone.
Not one single soul. Ever.
Victoria was a lucky bitch.
Of course, knowing Victoria the way I knew Victoria, luck had nothing to do with her engagement to a man like Cole.
“Everything okay?” His voice washed over me like warm syrup, thick and coating every inch of me in sweet rapture.
“Hey, dude. How are ya?”
Dude? Oh, God. I sucked at faking apathetic.
Cole made himself comfortable in the seat across from mine. And, holy wow, did he fill that seat out well. Thick chest and wide shoulders. His mauve dress shirt complemented his complexion. An Armani model fresh off the page, an arm’s reach away. No. No. No. I would not ogle.
Dreamy eyes locked on mine, and my tingles turned to full-blown lusty shivers. Yes. He was that beautiful.
His jaw tensed, but his gaze didn’t falter, and damn, damn, damn, why did he have to look at me that way?
“What?” I asked, hypnotized.
“What, what?” He smirked.
“You’re staring. Do I have something on my face?”
Cole blinked, crinkled a napkin, laughed, shook his head. “Sorry. Um.” He scratched his eyebrow with his thumb. “There’s just something about you.”
Well. He wasn’t one for bullshit. Respect.
“Sorry.” He shook his head. “God. You must think I’m a creep.”
No. He was the opposite of creep. If there were any creeping, it came from me. I closed my emails but opened my camera, waiting for the right moment. No denying, I wanted that man. To my bones, I ached with lust. And though it was wrong, and weird, I needed to capture the moment.
No bueno. Lacey’s voice played in my head. I ignored her of course.
“Nothing creepy about you.” I lifted my phone and took a shot, saying, “And believe me, I know creeps.”
Eyes wide, he looked at my phone, then me, but much to his credit, didn’t question. “About that.” Again with the smirk and, oh my effin’ jeez, those dimples.
“That being my crazy ex who attacked you for no reason?” I tried to make light of my predicament for fear of bursting into tears of shame.
One brow raised, he asked, “And chasing you down a busy street?”
“I was late for work.” I slid my phone back into the pocket of my Fendi Tote, a graduation gift from my uncle that I broke out only in the fall and guarded with my life.
“You were running from a stalker,” he practically growled, his fist tightening around that innocent napkin.
“Okay. Fine. I suppose I was.”
He nodded, seemingly pleased with my honesty. “So, what are you doing in my coffee shop?”
“Oh. This is your place?”
“Not really. I own the building. They rent the space. But I do stop by once a day. Never seen you in here before.” His lips were so pretty. And that chin cleft? I had no defense.
“Been taking the long way to work. Stumbled upon this little gem a couple days ago. Now, I’m hooked.”
“Why?”
I lifted my warm cup off the table. “Because this is the best coffee I’ve ever had.”
“No.” He chuckled, killing me with that grin. “Why take the long way to work?”
“My ex has been a little overzealous with his apology.” I slumped in my chair, the weight of the conversation exhausting. “And he wants me back.”
“Can’t say I blame him,” he mumbled, then huffed.
My cheeks throbbed.
“Sorry. Not hitting on you. Promise.” He raised his hands in surrender, then sat back, mimicking my pose. “What do you mean by overzealous?”
“There’s too much to tell, honestly. Let’s just say, I’ve taken to sneaking out the back door of my building.”
Cole sat straighter, long fingers curling around his paper mug. “Are you in danger?”
“Oh, no. From that doof? Please. He would never hurt me.”
“You sure about that? He tried to kill me because I looked at you. You ask me, that’s a man to be wary of.”
One thing I knew for certain about Holden was he’d never hurt a woman. Not physically. But one thing I suspected about Cole was he wouldn’t fall for any bullshit. I wasn’t in the mood to argue, so I conceded. “I know. You’re right. Security had to drag him out of our building last week.”
Cole’s eyes narrowed. “He’s escalating.”
That icy glare was unexpected. As was the tick in his jaw. My jumbled brain didn’t know how to process his reaction.
“Can we change the subject?”
He stared at me. Correction. He stared into my soul, like he could read my past, present, and future.
“It’s a gorgeous morning. I don’t want it tarnished with reminders of
